How to Grow and Care for Spring Crocus

Emerging from bulb-like structures called corms, crocuses are low-growingperennialflowering plants from the iris (Iridaceae) family that come back year after year for at least five years growing from one corm. In many regions, crocus flowers (Crocus spp.) mark the arrival of spring.These early bloomers can often be seen peeking up through the snow well before any other flowers appear in your landscape in January, February, or March, depending on the severity of your winter.

Crocuses grow in various conditions, including woodlands, coastal gardens, and suburban lawns.Deer usually pass over them, but rodents like squirrels, chipmunks, and mice consider crocuses a tasty snack. Bloom colors on the cup-shaped flowers includemauve, lavender, and yellow. There are over 80 crocus species, but most commercially available corms are hybrid plants derived from carefully cross-breeding selected species.

Spring crocuses are toxic to pets.

What Does Spring Crocus Symbolize?

Spring crocuses are known for their unique symbolic meaning, as these special plants bloom during cold weather. Their flower represents rebirth, joy, hope, and fresh beginnings.

Crocus Care

While crocuses are often called bulbs, they are technically corms (like gladiolas). The main difference between corms and bulbs is that corms are rooting structures formed from modified stem tissue, while bulbs are formed from modified leaf tissue. Once established in an area, crocuses can spread independently by developing corm offsets. Here is how to grow and care for spring crocus flower:

• Plant crocus corms about 4 inches deep and 2 to 4 inches apart with the pointed end up.
• Also, plant them in clusters versus rows or border edging; they are small, delicate, and less impressive when singled out.
• Crocuses prefer full sun spots, so steer clear of planting them in the dense shade on the north side of buildings or underbushes, lush evergreen foliage, or thickets.
• Plant with well-draining soil and water regularly.
  
• Refrain from mowing in a grassy area if your crocus is planted there until the foliage fades, as it can deprive your plant of essential nutrients.
• Do not trim the leaves until they are entirely yellow. This typically occurs within six weeks after they bloom.
  

Light

Crocuses do best in full sun, but because they bloom early in the year with little foliage on the trees, shady spots during the summer are usually fine for spring-blooming crocuses.

Soil

Crocus plants prefer a neutralsoil pHof 6.0 to 7.0 and are usually not fussy about the soil type. However, well-draining soil is crucial. As with most plants with corms as roots, crocusesdo not like to sit in soggy soil, which can cause them to rot.

Water

Crocuses are generally low-maintenance plants. They like to be watered regularly in the spring and fall. The corms need water throughout the winter if there is no snow cover. However, they go dormant in the summer and prefer drier soil.

Temperature and Humidity

Crocus corm hardiness varies slightly depending on which type you are growing, but most crocuses are reliable withinUSDA hardiness zones3 to 8. They bloom and survive best where winters are cold since crocus corms need 12 to 15 weeks of cold temperatures, at least 35 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit, to set their blooms. Humidity usually isn't an issue, although excessive humidity can lead to rot.

Crocuses are often planted as annuals in climates where the winter temperatures are not sufficiently low to chill the corms. They can be purchased from vendors who pre-chill the corms at 35 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit for at least three months. You can also chill the corms yourself for the following spring by digging up the corms after the foliage has yellowed. Chill the corms in the refrigerator for at least 12 weeks before planting. However, do not store fruit in the same part of the refrigerator with the corms, as ethylene gas emitted by fruit can ruin crocus corms.

Fertilizer

Crocusesdo not require a lot of fertilizer. They store their energy in their corms, so do not cut back the leaves until they turn yellow. A light top dressing of corm, bulb food, or bone mealin the fall is a good idea if you have poor soil. Try 2 cups of bone meal and 5 tablespoons of 10-10-10 fertilizer for every 10 square feet of soil. Refrain from giving fertilizer while crocuses are blooming since it can cause corm rot and flower death.

Types of Crocus

Crocuses are most often planted for early spring color, though there are also varieties that bloom in late fall and early winter. Spring crocus is not the same as saffron crocus, a fall variety that produces saffron, a common spice and colorant used in cooking. Spring crocus is an especially early-blooming variety that should be planted in the early fall. The month it blooms varies; they typically bloom within two to five weeks after the temperature rises, growing fast and beginning active growth in the spring.

• Snow crocus (Crocus chrysanthus): One of the first blooming crocus, poking out of bare earth or snow; smaller than Dutch crocus; many bicolored; fragrant to entice pollinators out of their hives
• Autumn crocus (Crocus sativus): Blooms in the fall with light purple flowers that produce golden or dark red saffron, prized for a spice used in cooking
• Bieberstein's crocus (Crocus speciosus): Blooms in the fall, featuring lilac-blue flowers with dark veining
• 'Bowles White' crocus (Crocus atticus 'Bowles White'): Produces snowy white flowers with yellow throats and blooms in the early spring.
• Dutch crocus (Crocus vernus 'Pickwick'): Flowers are striped in pale and dark lilac, blooming in the spring
• Purpureus Grandiflorus crocus (Crocus vernus 'Purpureus Grandiflorus'): Blooms in the spring with abundant violet flowers
• Tricolor crocus (Crocus sieberi 'Tricolor'): Blooms in late winter to early spring and features lilac, white, and yellow bands on its petals

Pruning

Crocuses do not require any pruning. You must leave the green foliage intact, allow it to turn yellow, and die back naturally. The green leaves store food and pull energy into the corm to produce flowers the following winter or spring. Once the flowers fade, they'll disappear, not requiring deadheading.

Propagating Crocuses

Crocuses are grown from corm rooting structures. They can also be grown from seed but take much longer—usually several years—to sprout from seed.

Inmany areas, crocusesare somewhat short-lived, and you might need to replant them every few years. To prolong the life of your crocus corms, dig them up every three to four years in the fall. Crocuses may bloom less if the flowers clump too close together and become dense. Here's how to dig up and divide your healthy corms:

1. Using a hand shovel or spade in the fall, gently dig up the soil in the spot where the crocuses typically bloom. Go about three to four inches deep.
2. Look for round bulb-looking structures that look like mini garlic heads. You may find many cormlets or baby offsets from a parent corm. Remove them and discard the dead, rotting corms.
3. Transplant them in another location or replant them by spacing them out at least three inches apart.

How to Grow Crocus From Seed

You can grow crocus from seed, but it can take many growing seasons for the seeds to germinate outdoors. Scatter the seeds in the fall, barely covered with soil, in a cold frame, in the fall.

You might have a better chance of sowing the seeds indoors using a seed compost mix. Here's how:

1. Barely cover the seed with the soil mix and allow the light to reach it for germination.
2. Keep it at 65 degrees Fahrenheit or room temperature for two to four weeks.
3. Then, "trick" it into thinking the winter season has arrived by moving the plant to 22 to 35 F for four to six weeks.
4. To spur germination, move it to a warmer spot, about 41 to 50 F.

Indoor germination can go perfectly and only take 30 days, or it can take six months. Outdoors, germination can occur in the spring or after several years. If grown indoors, keep them potted and growing indoors for at least three growing seasons to establish fully. By the third year, they should be ready to flower and go into the ground outdoors.

Potting and Repotting Spring Crocuses

You can grow spring crocuses in pots; however, they need adequate drainage holes, so the water doesn't pool and cause rot on the corms. Also, give it gritty, peaty, or moderately fertile soil for faster drainage. If growing seedlings, annually transplant the seedling each fall as long as it still fits the pot. You can start with a 3-inch pot for a seed, then size up every year. Refresh all the soil with new compost each time.

Overwintering

These cold-hardy corms can remain inground for the winter. A light layer of fall leaves can insulate them, while a thick layer will delay crocuses breaking through the cover. If you are expecting an intense subzero freeze, you can provide more winter protection by laying down a few inches of mulch or a frost cover over the top in November. Remove heavy mulch in late January or early February so the petite blooms can poke through.

If unearthing the corms in the fall, store them in a cool, dark space over the winter. Wrap them in peat moss and put them in a paper bag, do not allow the corms to touch. Keep them in a cool space, like an unheated basement, that stays about 35 to 45 F for about 12 weeks. Plant the corm in soil with the pointy part upward as soon as you can turn it in late February or early March. Part of it can be sticking out of the ground.

Common Pests and Plant Diseases

Spring crocus flowers are not susceptible to insects, rather, the biggest problem is chipmunks, deer, rabbits, and squirrels may eat them.Other animals, such as skunks, may dig the corms out of the ground while searching for insects.

Liquid deterrents can be sprayed on the leaves, and granular deterrents can be scattered to prevent nibbling. You can also buy wire cages or cover the corms with chicken wire (under the soil) to protect the corms when you plant them. Avoid using bone meal if your plants are constantly harmed, as it can attract animals. Instead, try interplanting your crocuses with daffodils, which many pests won't touch.

Crocusesare susceptible to viruses, which can cause distortions, streaking, and buds that fail to open. There is no cure for viral diseases; if they strike, dispose of the plants to prevent the spreading of the virus.

How to Get Spring Crocus to Bloom

Bloom Months

Crocuses are often one of the first late winter or early spring bloomers. They should be planted in the early fall. Crocuses usually emerge two to five weeks after the temperature rises in late winter or early spring (January through March), mainly dependent on the temperature shift.

How Long Does Spring Crocus Bloom?

Spring crocus flowers will usually bloom for about three weeks before falling off.

What Do Spring Crocus Flowers Look and Smell Like?

Crocuses are members of the iris family. They all have deep yellow or orange powdery pistils full of pollen, attracting bees and other pollinators with their fragrance. They produce cup-like blooms that close at night. Spring crocuses emit a floral yet sweet honey-like scent.

Snow crocuses are usually the first to bloom, featuring bicolored petals like white or cream and purple with bright yellow centers. Dutch crocuses are the giants of the crocus world, even at only 2 to 4 inches tall, but featuring various colors (pinks, reds, oranges, yellows, purples, blues, and more). Purpureus Grandiflorus crocus stands out for its deep purple color. Tricolor crocus blooms feature lilac, white, and yellow bands on their petals.

How to Encourage More Blooms

Mix different crocuses in your garden to extend the bloom time. Planting them where other plants will fill in and hide their foliage will also help to prolong blooming and give the crocuses a chance to store energy for the next season.

Caring for Spring Crocus After it Blooms

Keep spring crocus flower watered in moist soil and in full sunlight.

Growing Crocus Indoors

Some crocus flowers have a sweet fragrance, while others have no scent. Either way, it entices bees and other pollinators who seek out this early bloomer. Forcing crocus to bloom indoors is done by "tricking" them into thinking winter has just ended and it's bloom time. The gardening term for this is stratification.

To stratify potted crocus indoors, keep them in an unheated garage or basement above 32 degrees Fahrenheit but no warmer than 45 F for 12 to 15 weeks. It doesn't require light. Only water the plant once a month. The soil should be dry to the touch before watering. Time triggers the end of "winter" for the plant, and the corms will naturally sprout.

Once you notice sprouting, move the plant to a sunny location with at least four to six hours of sunlight. Maintain temperatures between 50 and 60 F. Gradually start introducing more water, up to once a week, only once the soil is completely dry to the touch.

Common Problems With Spring Crocus

Spring crocuses are easy to grow. They usually bloom at a time when insect activity and other diseases are less likely to be an issue. However, certain problems come up that can affect their growth.

No Blooms

One of the biggest complaints about crocuses is when they fail to bloom. Several factors can impact blooming, such as poor soil, firmly compacted soil, or heavy mulch covering the soil, not allowing the plant to bloom. Other compounding factors include rot or mold harming the corms or animals that have dug up and eaten the corms.

Soil issues can be remedied using a gritty soil mixture, feeding the soil with compost annually, and uncovering the mulch as winter turns the corner. Protect corms from mold or rot by keeping the corms in well-draining soil, not fertilizing the soil during active bloom time, and using a mesh chicken wire around the flower bed to keep rodents at bay, but allowing bees to reach the flowers.

Also, germination rates are unpredictable if you start your crocuses from seed. If you start from seed and get a seedling, it may take up to three growing seasons to produce blooms.

Crocus Flower Bed Is Diminishing

The natural lifespan of a crocus corm is about five years. However, many create offsets or cormlets underground. These baby corms form new plants, establishing and continuing the cycle of growing into fuller corms and making more. However, the process of creating more corms also crowds the space. With crowding comes competition for soil nutrients and water. If your flower bed was once full of blooms in the spring, but that's no longer happening, dig up the corms. Remove the dead, dying, or rotting corms. Replant the healthy corms in the same spot at least 3 inches apart in compost-enriched soil.

Stunted, Distorted Growth

If your crocuses start looking sick, wilted, or have yellowing foliage early in the growing season, nematodes, worms, or mites may be underground, eating the corm or plant structures. If you dig up the corms, you will notice roots are poorly developed and decayed, or the corms look damaged. The worms are microscopic, but they can kill a plant from underground. To remedy the situation, dig up the corms, and dispose of the damaged ones. Replant them in compost-rich soil. Compost has beneficial bacteria that smother nematodes and mites.

From: thespruce